Labor accuses Nats of ‘blowing up’ nature deal between Ley and Albanese

3 months ago 6

The Nationals have raised last-minute objections to Labor’s landmark nature reforms, risking another Coalition schism if Opposition Leader Sussan Ley chooses to do a deal with the government.

Climate change and the environment are at the forefront of debate in the final parliamentary week for the year, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese desperate to pass a long-delayed overhaul of environmental laws and take the contentious issue off the political agenda.

Bridget McKenzie, the leader of the National Party in the Senate.

But as Labor demanded the Coalition side with big business to back the bill, Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie aired fresh concerns about the power for a new Environmental Protection Agency to inspect private farms.

“Many … are rightfully concerned about a new layer of bureaucrats coming onto their properties and meddling in their businesses,” she told this masthead.

Speaking before a shadow cabinet meeting that would debate the Coalition’s stance, McKenzie said the Nationals would push Ley to delay the changes. She said the legislation created unintended consequences, and that Labor wanted to “jam through” the laws by year’s end.

“At a time when private property rights are under threat, especially in Victoria, the parliament should be able to review this bill,” she said.

Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt.

The Coalition is desperate to turn attention to the government’s handling of the energy grid after weeks of turmoil over its dumping of the 2050 net zero target. In question time on Monday, Ley attacked Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen for being a “part-time minister” after he took on the presidency of next year’s COP climate summit despite Australia losing hosting rights to Turkey.

The nature reforms, which Labor shelved last term after Albanese overruled former environment minister Tanya Plibersek, could accelerate fossil fuel project approvals but will also speed up renewables projects. The Nationals have previously called for a pause on wind and solar projects.

Attempting to override these concerns, Environment Minister Murray Watt is seeking to win support for changes to Australia’s project-approval framework, which is holding up the homes as well as energy projects.

Watt has set a hard deadline of the end of the week. Both the pro-environment Greens and pro-business Coalition have expressed doubts about elements of the bill, heightening the prospect of the reform being pushed into next year.

A key concern for farmers is the establishment of a new federal watchdog known as the Environmental Protection Agency.

Ley said last week that Watt must retain control over the agency’s assessment and approval of projects. However, Watt’s reforms would empower the agency to conduct on-ground audits if there is reason to believe illegal activity is under way.

NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said his members were concerned about the federal government’s plans.

“We’re quite apprehensive about whether they’re going to get the balance right,” Martin said.

But a government source said the Nationals’ intervention appeared designed to kill off any deal between Labor and the Liberals, some of whom may be keen to prove the opposition’s commitment to nature after the Coalition’s net zero debate.

“This has not been raised in any conversation we’ve had with the Coalition,” one senior government source said late on Monday. “This is lobbed in late to blow up the show.”

Nationals leader David Littleproud said earlier on Monday that he was sceptical of the bill, echoing colleague Matt Canavan.

“This is a 1500-page document that will take some time to get through,” Littleproud said on Monday.

Coalition sources said the opposition was concerned Watt had not shown amendments to the bill before the shadow cabinet met on Monday, diminishing the chances of a deal between the major parties.

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